Sites of Interest for Botanical Conservation in the Communal Lands of the Zambezi Valley, Zimbabwe
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IDENTIFICATION of APPROPRIATE CONSERVATION MEASURES for SITES of BOTANICAL INTEREST in the COMMUNAL LANDS of the ZAMBEZI VALLEY, ZIMBABWE: THE INITIAL CONSULTATION PROCESS Rob Cunliffe October 1996 Occasional Publications in Biodiversity No. 2b BIODIVERSITY FOUNDATION FOR AFRICA IDENTIFICATION OF APPROPRIATE CONSERVATION MEASURES FOR SITES OF BOTANICAL INTEREST IN THE COMMUNAL LANDS OF THE ZAMBEZI VALLEY, ZIMBABWE: THE INITIAL CONSULTATION PROCESS Consultant's Report Prepared on Behalf of the Zambezi Society Rob Cunliffe October 1996 Biodiversity Foundation for Africa P.O. Box FM 730 Famona Bulawayo Zimbabwe Sites of Botanical Interest - Community Consultations ii CONTENTS SUMMARY............................................................ iv 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................... 1 2. APPROACH ........................................................ 2 3. DISTRICT REPORTS................................................. 2 3.1 Mount Darwin District ............................................. 2 3.1.1 Site Visit to Mukumbura Alluvial Woodland ..................... 3 3.1.2 The Way Ahead............................................ 5 3.1.3 Aerial Photograph Study..................................... 6 3.1.4 Other Sites................................................ 6 3.2 Centenary District ................................................ 6 3.2.1 Meeting with Traditional Leaders.............................. 7 3.2.2 The Way Ahead............................................ 8 3.2.3 Conclusion................................................ 9 3.3 Guruve District.................................................. 10 3.3.1 Initial Meeting With Council Officials ......................... 10 3.3.2 Further Discussions with CIRAD............................. 11 3.3.3 The Way Ahead........................................... 11 3.4 Kariba District.................................................. 11 3.4.1 Initial Meeting ............................................ 12 3.4.2 Site Visit to Mola Cathedral Mopane Woodland ................. 12 3.4.3 The Way Ahead........................................... 14 3.5 Gokwe North District............................................. 14 3.5.1 Initial Meeting With Council ................................ 14 3.5.2 Kamakuyu Community Meeting .............................. 14 5.5.3 The Way Ahead........................................... 15 5.5.4 Other Sites............................................... 15 3.6 Binga District................................................... 16 3.6.1 Initial Meeting With Campfire Manager ........................ 16 3.6.2 Manjolo Field Visit........................................ 16 3.6.3 Field Notes .............................................. 18 3.6.4 The Way Ahead........................................... 18 3.6.5 Other Sites............................................... 18 4. DISCUSSION...................................................... 19 4.1 Evaluation of Results............................................. 20 4.1.1 Informing the Rural District Councils .......................... 20 4.1.2. Feasibility of Conserving Priority Sites ........................ 21 4.1.3 Management Plans for Priority Sites........................... 21 4.2 Establishing Community Support ................................... 21 4.2.1 Institutional Setting ........................................ 21 4.2.2 Concept of Conservation.................................... 22 4.2.3 Getting People Involved .................................... 24 4.2.4 Information Sharing ....................................... 24 4.3 Technical Requirements........................................... 24 4.4 Future Inputs ................................................... 25 5. RECOMMENDATIONS .............................................. 26 6. REFERENCES ..................................................... 27 7. LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS .......................................... 27 8. TABLES .......................................................... 28 Sites of Botanical Interest - Community Consultations iii SUMMARY This study comprises the second part of an ongoing project by the Zambezi Society, the overall goal of which is to ensure the conservation of a variety of areas of botanical interest within the Zambezi Valley. The initial phase of the project involved the identification, survey and description of 82 potential communal land sites (Timberlake 1996), and these were categorized into low, medium or high priorities for conservation. The purpose of this study was, firstly, to present the results of the initial phase to the Rural District Councils of the six districts within which these sites occur (Mount Darwin, Centenary, Guruve, Kariba, Gokwe North and Binga Districts), and to discuss the possibility of conserving these sites. Based on the assumption that the effective conservation of these sites will be directly dependent on the full participation and support of the people living in close proximity to the various areas, the second objective was to devolve the process of discussions to the community level and, through doing so, to try and develop conservation and management plans for the high priority sites within each district. Provision was made for two trips to each district. The initial visits, during which the results of the first phase were presented to the relevant Rural District Councils, were carried out during July 1996. Based on the positive responses received, follow up meetings and site discussions were held in each district during September 1996. The process of community consultations was taken furthest in Gokwe North District. Here a community meeting was held to discuss the sidaga grasslands of Site 11b, the outcome of which was that the Kamakuyu community agreed to try and identify a suitable area for conservation purposes. For three other districts (Mount Darwin, Centenary and Binga), specific plans have been made for holding additional community meetings, and requests have been forwarded to the Zambezi Society for the provision of funding to proceed with these. In Kariba and Guruve Districts the need for additional meetings has been agreed upon, but not yet planned in any detail. The least progress was achieved in Guruve District, mainly because of the large number of sites here and the fact that two visits were insufficient to make much of an impact. Participants at the various district meetings largely comprised council executive officers (including Campfire managers), councillors and local technical officers. The need to involve the traditional leadership was recognized by all six councils but, as yet, only achieved within Mount Darwin, Centenary and Gokwe North Districts. In particular, the Muzarabani Rural District Council (of Centenary District) have decided that the best way to achieve the conservation of the seven sites within their district, will be through handing over this project to the traditional leadership and encouraging the development of appropriate customary laws. Through doing so, the traditional authorities will be able to assume full responsibility for the implementation and enforcement of any such rules. The process of consultations was not taken far enough to achieve the development of management plans for any of the sites. However, the progress to date has been encouraging and it is concluded that the best way to proceed with the development of appropriate conservation measures for the various sites, is to continue with further community meetings. During such meetings it will be important to clarify the form of conservation that is envisaged here. Unlike previous approaches, which have been characterized by exclusion and the loss of Sites of Botanical Interest - Community Consultations iv access to resources, this initiative is based directly on the central concepts of the Campfire programme, of full community participation, support and empowerment and, also, the sustainable utilization of resources. Thus, it is anticipated that the local farmers themselves will have a central role in identifying specific boundaries for the conservation areas; establishing rules governing the use of these area and penalties for any infringements of these rules; and also enforcing these rules. Emphasis will also be placed on ensuring that any conservation areas continue to function as useful and productive components of the local landscapes. This can be achieved through: allowing as many uses of these areas as possible to continue, providing these are not inconsistent with conservation goals; encouraging additional appropriate forms of use, particularly any that will enable the generation of income (such as tourism developments); and possibly linking conservation initiatives to alternative development works within the adjacent areas. Attention is also drawn to the technical and financial inputs that will be required to ensure the continuation of this project. Nine recommendations are made, concerning making information available, networking and extending the project to include the adjacent state land areas. The major recommendation is that, based on the encouraging results obtained during this phase of the project, the process of community meetings should continue to be supported and developed. Sites of Botanical Interest - Community Consultations 1 1. INTRODUCTION From 1988 to 1991 a vegetation survey of the communal lands of the north and west of the country was carried out by the National Herbarium in Harare. The major product of this exercise